Ravenshaw University in Cuttack. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, Nov. 1: Question marks have been raised over the selection procedure for the post of vice-chancellor of Ravenshaw University.

A search committee constituted by governor M.C. Bhandare to shortlist candidates for the post of vice-chancellor of Ravenshaw University has recommended three names. The committee met on October 24 to choose the names as Debdas Chhottray’s second term as vice-chancellor came to an end last month.

Highly placed sources said the committee has recommended Dr Baishanab Tripathy from Jawaharlal Nehru University and Dr Hemant Patra and Dr Sadasiva Pradhan from Utkal University for the post.

The governor is likely to meet the shortlisted candidates on the second week of November before taking a final decision.

However, sources said the search committee met only for four hours and picked up the names without going through the details of the other professors.

Nearly 98 professors had submitted their applications. Now, a petition has been submitted to the governor to take a new look into the selection procedure.

“We have definite information that the shortlisting was done by others,” said a senior professor.

Chairman of the Council of Higher Secondary Education, and professor Basant Kumar Mohapatra, said: “We have never come across an instance of search committee taking such a short time to finalise names. There have been severe allegations against the committee and a question mark has been raised on the selection procedure.”

Former principal of Ravenshaw College, Prof Pravat Kumar Mishra, said: “It is unfortunate that no one was picked up from Ravneshaw University during the selection process. It seems as if the university lacks quality professors and academicians. The committee should have gone through every bio-data carefully. They should also have cited reasons for rejecting candidates.”

The search committee included former chief secretary D.P. Bagchi as nominee of the syndicate of Ravenshaw University, Dr G.N. Quazi, former vice-chancellor of the Jamia Hamdard University, as nominee of the University Grants Commission and Dr (Mrs) Susila Kaushik, retired professor of Delhi University, as the chancellor’s nominee.